The Book Thief
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.
By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.
But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.
In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.
(Note: this title was not published as YA fiction)
592 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1,2005
This edition
- Format
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592 pages, Kindle Edition
- Published
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March 14, 2006 by Alfred A. Knopf
- ISBN
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- ASIN
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0375831002
- Language
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English
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Liesel Meminger
A young, tomboyish pre-adolescent girl and the protagonist of The Book Thief. She is fostered by the Hubermanns when her father and mother, both Communists, are most likely sent to Dachau Concentration Camp although the book leaves its readers...
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Hans Hubermann
Liesels foster father. He does not believe in the Nazi ways and tries to part from the Nazi party. He has eyes like silver and is very tall. He was taught the accordion by Maxs father.more...
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Rudy Steiner
Liesels best friend and neighbor. Rudy makes no secret of his love for Liesel and continually asks her for a kiss.more...
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Rosa Hubermann
The Book Thief:Liesels foul-mouthed, often aggravating, foster mother. She is very short, with an extremely wrinkled face, and has browny-grey elastic hair often tied up in a bun, and chlorinated eyes. To supplement the house...
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Max Vandenburg
Max Vandenburg is a Jewish fist-fighter who hides in the Hubbermans basement for a small period of the Holocaust. more...
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Death
I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo."So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. J.R.R....
About the author
To date, Zusak has held the number one position at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, the New York Times bestseller list, as well as in countries across South America, Europe and Asia.
His books, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry (also titled Getting the Girl), The Messenger (or I am the Messenger) and The Book Thief have been awarded numerous honours ranging from literary prizes to readers choice awards to prizes voted on by booksellers.
Zusak's much-anticipated new novel, Bridge of Clay, is set for release in October 2018 in the USA, the UK and Australia, with foreign translations to follow.
